Balsam has one less pike

[Rizzo]

Went out to Balsam today. Last time I was here (June) we got a pike, which was a first for us in Balsam. My buddy kept that one and ate it, decent fish over 30 inches. Today I got one as well, also over 30 inches. Yuck, what's a guy to do. I don't even like fish. Well for the sake of the muskies, I took it home and filleted it. I've heard of these y-bones, and thought about watching a video about how to clean a pike...but unfortunately I didn't. Luckily this was a pretty big fish and had some giant fillets...until I tried to remove the y bones. Man what a job when you don't know how to do it...lot of waste (which I guess is a good thing...did I mention I don't eat fish?). More bad news too...I hooked a musky on my favorite spinnerbait, and lost it on the jump. I bet half my fish this year were caught on this bait. Brought it in and the spinnerbait had broke in half! All I had left was the arm with the blades on it. Anyone ever seen that happen before? Besides that musky I did manage to land a small one (36 inches or so) and lost one that I never saw. Not a bad few hours...now to get psyched up for eating some pike. My kids thought it was pretty cool when I opened his stomach and took out a 6 inch perch!

[mercman]

Filleting them is a bit different than a bass or walleye.The meat is on the back, from the back of the head to the fin, and from the side of the fish from the anterior rib cage to the tail on both sides.

Very sweet tasteing meat

[crappieperchhunter]

Rizzo if you ever have to fillet another pike just go on google and type in the 5 fillet method or 5 fillet pike. There are lots of vidoes to walk you through it and it is dead easy. I don't target pike much but truthfully I like eating them way better then walleye.

[Live2fish85]

If you know how to clean them it is actually easy to clean. You can also get 3 nice fillets and it tastes damn good.

[Joey]

When we were at Lakair, we had a pike fry, and I watched the video of the 5 filet method before I tackled the second round of pike. It was much, much easier than how I had been doing it before, and there was alot less waste. I'll be using that method from now on Rizzo. You should try it if you get another Balsam pike.

 

No pics of the musky?

[Rizzo]

ya I was so close to watching the video...but chose to just get started instead. Any other lake the slimy beast goes back in the lake, but Balsam pike was gonna die. Didn't take a picture of the musky, just popped the hook out at the side of the boat and away she went.

[SirCranksalot]

Pike are shaped like logs, so cut them across the body rather than along. i.e make steaks rather than fillets. The bones are easy to pick out as you savor the flavor!

[Joeytier]

I've never been too fond of pike. Don't enjoy them nearly as much as walleye/perch or even smallmouth.

[northernpike56]

Here's how I learned:

 

 

 

Matt.

[Dontcryformejanhrdina]

Pike tastes great and are VERY easy to fillet. It's actually kind of weird that more people don't target them. I ALWAYS take home the pike I catch (unless I'm at my limit or they're too big) and I give quite a bit away too and I don't have to feel bad about it. Helps the musky out a bit and there's no shortage of pike in my area with few people targetting them let alone actually eating them.

 

 

 

You wouldn't believe the ammount of times I hear "you eat pike?!!" from people. You'd think I was eating carp or something.

[wall i]

Pike tastes great and are VERY easy to fillet. It's actually kind of weird that more people don't target them. I ALWAYS take home the pike I catch (unless I'm at my limit or they're too big) and I give quite a bit away too and I don't have to feel bad about it. Helps the musky out a bit and there's no shortage of pike in my area with few people targetting them let alone actually eating them.

 

 

 

You wouldn't believe the ammount of times I hear "you eat pike?!!" from people. You'd think I was eating carp or something.

 

 

To each their own...personaly, if I'm eating fish it should taste like fish. I like pike, trout, salmon. I love oysters, clams anything that imparts at least some "seafood" taste. Walleye...bland...needs to be spiced up to be interesting to my palatte.

I found people who say they love walleye generally dont like really like eating a variety of seafoods. Walleye flesh on its own is about as interesting as a glass of water.

 

As for carp.....I have some great recipes with my fav being a tomato based sauce....shredded carrots and slow baked......yummy. Most gefilte fish reciped call for a mix of pike, carp, whitefish...love the stuff with a little horseradish...Ok...gettin a bit off topic.

Edited September 14, 2012 by wall i

[jimmer]

Pike are great eating out of colder water. I found that they have to be over 5 pounds for it to be worth cleaning them.

Those muskie/pike definitely do a number on baits. I have had them tear apart spinner baits over the years. AND it always happens to be the favourite one!

For those that ask if "you eat pike"! They wouldn't be able to tall them apart from walleye if mixed together on the same plate.

[Jds63]

One of the best tasting fish recipes I have was Pickled Pike ... I have no idea how my buddy made it but I ate a ton of it ... hey said that the small Y bones actually disintegrate if done properly ... has anyone else had it ?

[Ron]

 

This is how I clean my pike now.

[misfish]

If you want tastey pike ,ya got to get it from the, TJ chip truck.

[manitoubass2]

One of the best tasting fish recipes I have was Pickled Pike ... I have no idea how my buddy made it but I ate a ton of it ... hey said that the small Y bones actually disintegrate if done properly ... has anyone else had it ?

 

My neighbor does pickled pike every year. I drop off a few and he does em up for me while he does his. I'm not sure how he does it, but it makes for an awesome snack!

 

Also, a pike boil is great too. My Dad does it once in awhile, and it's a real treat. The meat is cubed, boiled in water or broth with carrots, celery, potatoes etc, not your everyday fish meal but it is awesome!

 

I use the 5 fillet method, very easy.

 

Pike is great, sweet meat. If I bread and fry it, I can't tell the difference between pike and walleye. But if I do it up in other ways, there is a noticeable difference. Not at all a bad thing either.

 

I like doing mine fairly naked. Just pressed in flour, add seasoning salt, some cracked black pepper, some onions and cayenne pepper. Then just a quick fry. The flour just keeps the meat together, and just some subtle flavors added to the already sweet pike meat.

 

 

[Joeytier]

For those that ask if "you eat pike"! They wouldn't be able to tall them apart from walleye if mixed together on the same plate.

I've done that, and can definitely tell. Pike usually aren't as firm, and don't have as nice a flavour as a walleye or a perch, in my opinion.

[northernpike56]

Perch are my favorite, walleye are nice too, but the limit is obviously lower, so less meat overall.

 

I can't really tell the difference between walleye and pike if they are mixed together either. Both are pretty good. The only fish that tastes kind of gross at times is LMB over 2 lbs, but only when they are frozen and thawed.

 

Matt.

[manitoubass2]

This thread inspired me to go out today for some pike! lol.

 

Fished for two hours, landed a few nice keepers, plus my son got his PB 35"!

 

Now, I'm torn between trying a pickle or a boil??? Probably gonna try to do my own boil me thinks.